Mrs. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, the Minister of Women Affairs, has filed a petition with the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and has sought a court injunction to halt the plans of the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji.
The Speaker intends to marry off 100 orphaned girls, who lost their parents in banditry attacks in the Mariga local government area, as part of his constituency project on May 24.
He has stated that this initiative aims to alleviate the suffering of the impoverished, with plans to cover the dowries for the brides and provide materials for the mass marriage ceremony.
Kennedy-Ohanenye, speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, has labeled these plans as “unacceptable,” emphasizing that a thorough investigation into the matter has been launched.
“I want to let the honourable speaker of the house in Niger states know that this is unacceptable by the Federal Minister Of Women Affairs and by the government unacceptable.
“Because there is something called the Child’s Rights Act and I said it from the onset, that is no more business as usual.
“These children must be considered, their future must be considered, the future of the children to come out of their marriage must be considered.
“So I have gone to court. I have written him a letter and written a petition to the IG of the police.
“And I have filed for an injunction to stop him from whatever he is planning to do on the 24th until a thorough investigation is carried out on those girls, find out whether they gave their consent, their ages, find out the people marrying them,” she said.
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She continued, “The speaker did not think about empowering these women or sending them to school or giving them some kind of training support financially.
“The ministry has decided to take it up and we are going to educate the children.
“Those that do not want to go to school, we will train them in skill, empower them with sustainable empowerment machines to enable that child build his or her life and make up her mind who and when to get married.
” If for any reason the Speaker tries to do contrary to what I have just mentioned there will be a serious legal battle between him and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.”
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